This invention relates in general to a safety switch and more particularly to the on-off toggle type of electrical switch which is used on a work bench or the like.
The accidental turning on of the main power switch at a work bench has frequently caused problems including fire, shock and injury. The intentional turning on of the switch by unauthorized individuals, and particularly by children, has caused the same problems. Accordingly, it is important that the switch be designed and housed so that turning it on requires a conscious deliberate act. It is further important that the switch be turned off in a fashion or in a mode which will make it very difficult if not impossible for a child or an unauthorized individual to turn on the switch.
A lock with a key can be used in conjunction with a switch in order to provide a desired degree of security. However, such arrangements are frequently cumbersome, expensive and inconvenient to use. Where cost is no major concern, a high degree of security can always be built into equipment. But as a practical matter if a secure switch is to be provided and used in a wide-range of circumstances and conditions the security feature must be simple in construction, convenient to use and inexpensive to provide. Accordingly, it is desirable that the safety device employ a few simple conventional parts.
The object of this invention is to provide all the above objectives and more particularly to provide a design in which there is an optimized tradeoff between cost, security, simplicity, fool proof operation and convenience of use.